Do I need an end of tenancy cleaning?

 

 

 

 

Whether you're a landlord or a tenant, end of tenancy cleaning can be quite mysterious. Most people know this cleaning service exists, but who is responsible for it, whether it is mandatory or the difference between end of tenancy cleaning and regular domestic cleaning, are queries that many of us have. So, we're answering some FAQs about end of tenancy cleaning below to help you understand the riddle of end of tenancy cleaning once and for all.

Is an end of tenancy cleaning a must?

While an end of tenancy clean is not mandatory, it is essential to get the property looking its best. For tenants, an end of tenancy clean ensures that the property looks just as it did when you first moved in, a blank canvas for you to make your own. This ensures that the next tenants can do the same. For landlords, it gets your property ready for the next steps. For new tenants to move in and create a space they can enjoy.

End of tenancy cleaning, then, while not required by law, should be carried out by one party (either the tenants moving out or the landlord) to ensure the property looks perfect for the new tenants. If you are the tenant moving out, this can mean that your landlord may charge you for professional cleaning services if you don't clean the property to a high enough standard, as your tenancy agreement likely states that the property should be left in a condition ready for new tenants to move in.

Differences between end of tenancy cleaning and normal domestic cleaning

For most of us, typical domestic cleaning involves vacuuming without moving furniture, a spot of dusting, wiping the kitchen counters, emptying bins, changing beds and general tidying of our space. We make our homes look presentable to guests and ensure that we have a nice space to live in. This is what a regular domestic cleaner will do as well. The weekly cleaning chores.

An end of tenancy clean, though, is a very thorough deep clean of the entire home in which the cleaners use a checklist to ensure that they clean every area of the home. This type of cleaning is extremely in-depth. From inside kitchen cabinets to behind the toilet and everything in between. You can even add carpet cleaning services, window cleaning and more to an end of tenancy clean to ensure that the property looks as good as possible.

So, unless you have an extremely vigorous cleaning schedule that matches an end of tenancy clean in intensity, 99% of people can't rely on regular domestic cleaning to provide a good enough clean for handover day and should seek end of tenancy cleaning services.

Should tenants pay for professional cleaning services?

There's no law stating that you must have a professional cleaning service come in and do your end of tenancy clean for you. And there are cleaning checklists available online that you can use to clean the property yourself.

If you intend to clean the property yourself, do use a checklist, though. This will keep you on track and ensure that every area of the property is clean. You can even hire a carpet cleaning machine to ensure your property looks perfect. It is a big job, though. In fact, it is the biggest cleaning job out of any domestic cleaning service. It has to be done right. Otherwise, you may face additional charges from your landlord.

Landlords can also do end of tenancy cleans themselves if they choose to. Again, though, getting a property ready for new tenants is a massive undertaking. This is why most tenants and landlords choose to use a professional cleaning service.

Whose responsibility is end of tenancy cleaning?

It is the tenant's responsibility to clean a rented property, and this will be stated in the tenancy agreement you signed when you first moved in. Unless expressly stated by your landlord (if they plan on renovating the property after you move out or don't plan on having new tenants right away), an end of tenancy clean must be performed before the final inspection. As we stated above, you do not need to pay for a professional cleaning service for this clean, but the property must be cleaned to very high standards, and often it is much less stressful to hire a professional cleaner.

Can landlords charge for cleaning in 2023?

Landlords can claim money from the deposit you put down for your rented property to cover cleaning costs under certain circumstances. In fact, this is the most common claim that landlords make. There is a fantastic article by The Dispute Service detailing how to avoid cleaning charges when moving out that can really help you if you haven't moved out of your property yet.

We hope this dive into end of tenancy cleaning services has been helpful. For more advice about cleaning services and to book in for a fantastic cleaning service in London, why not check out Cleaning Express?